Friday, May 31, 2013

Between the Studs

If your current storage space is maxed out and you're still needing more, it might be time to consider the space between the studs.  Christopher Patrick of Christopher Patrick Interiors demonstrates the way with custom recessed shelves he designed for an upstairs bath at the 2012 DC Design House.

Although variations may occur depending on the construction of your home, interior wall studs are typically spaced 16 inches on center with a depth of about 3 ½ inches . In addition to bathrooms, this space is sufficient to provide useful solutions in other rooms too. If you have a cramped entry way, consider a recessed space for coats, hats and umbrellas. A recessed wine rack allows for easy access for entertaining or a storage cabinet with doors conceals extra space for pantry items.  The empty hallway wall space between bedrooms could be the new home for a recessed  cabinet housing cleaning supplies or recessed shelves in a home office can provide orderly storage for desk supplies.

If the interior wall is not load bearing, it may even be possible for you or your carpenter to safely remove a stud to provide for wider storage. If you do decide to tackle this as a do-it-yourself project, make sure  there's no plumbing, ductwork, or electrical wiring behind the wall. Nadia Subaran of Aidan Design created this wide glass cabinet built-in at the 2012 Design House kitchen.  Love it!

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the kitchen recessed cabinet! Have a great weekend, and hope nextnweekmis better!
so Nancy
Powellbrowerhome.com

Kerry Steele- Design du Monde said...

Great ideas! My husband is going to be so mad that I read this. His to do list might just get a little longer. Have a great weekend!

ArchitectDesign™ said...

great ideas :-) You can never have too much storage! The first is really just a medicine cabinet without a cover/mirror - all the better to access your stuff!!

Woodside Park said...

We just did this in our basement renovation. Had a little niche built above the kitchenette. Very handy and accessible storage!!

Jen @ RamblingRenovators said...

Love the look of that! It feels a little retro but fresh too.

Karen at Home Sweet Hollywood said...

I love this idea! And it looks great when it's done right, as you show. Fantastic!

cindy hattersley design said...

Such a great idea when space is limited...particularly in a bath...clever!

Stacey said...

Great use of space and it looks amazing too!

vicki archer said...

Fabulous idea for when you have limited storage space...perfect in the bathroom!...xv

http://vickiarcher.com

Jill said...

I am about to do this for a client. She has a townhouse with stairs to the main level as soon as you open the front door. No room to hang any kind of organizer, shelf or key holder and no floor space for a piece of furniture.

Carla Aston said...

I love that built-in look these space saving cabinets have. More storage space is always a good idea!

Renée Finberg said...

it's a great look
and a fantastic solution for tight spaces.

hope you are enjoying your summer!
oxo

Anonymous said...

I love this idea. I have recently been finding myself with not enough room to store things. I have been searching forever to try and find a bathroom cabinet that wouldn’t be so bulky and here is the answer.

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